


Coming Home

by Neverever



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-05
Updated: 2014-06-05
Packaged: 2018-02-03 11:32:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1743179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neverever/pseuds/Neverever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony comes back to his family from a business trip.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> Big thank you to my beta!

Nerves frayed from a ten-day whirlwind business trip through China, Japan, and Vietnam, Tony was on the verge of begging anyone and everyone to end the meeting. Or to just shoot him and put him out of his misery. Or even better, shoot the droning presenter and his tedious PowerPoint slides. He checked his phone again, hoping for an alien invasion notice. But nothing. He looked up wearily at the ongoing PowerPoint presentation. He felt lucky when he sensed the presenter was on the verge of wrapping up. 

But Tony never had that type of luck. The presenter started up the PowerPoint again and continued to read from the slides about the latest in Stark Industries factory builds. And Tony groaned inwardly. They weren’t getting out of here anytime soon. He glanced over at a rapt Pepper. He knew immediately that she was pointedly ignoring him.

He took out his phone and by accident pulled up a picture of a smiling Steve and the kids from the park two weeks ago. He had felt terrible that morning when he had to miss their Skype call for a breakfast meeting. It had been only ten days but it felt like eons since he had seen them last.

Tony glanced around the table at unreadable faces. He had no idea how anyone was putting up with this. He resorted to sending text messages to get Pepper’s attention. _I’ve got better places to be. Tokyo to New York, 14 hours. Leaving this meeting would not be a world ending event – I’ve been to those and this doesn’t qualify_.

Pepper texted back. _One hour Tony then home_.

Surprised, Tony almost did a double take. Pepper never let him off this easy. Sensing Tony looking at her, Pepper just shrugged. 

Fortunately the meeting came to a natural end before Tony tried to escape with an excuse of another invading Chitauri army. He forced himself through the pleasantries of concluding business. He couldn’t wait to be back in New York with his husband Steve. 

He had never planned on this trip but Pepper needed him to be the face of the company to show off the new products fresh from the Research and Development Division. She had carefully outlined the people they had to work with and the impact on the bottom line. And at heart Tony knew he had to support the company.

But he was needed in New York just as much. Steve had been supportive of Tony and whatever he needed to do. Tony remembered standing at the door, a pile of luggage around his feet, trying to explain to a crying three-year-old Maria why Daddy had to go on a trip while Steve soothed fussy 8-month-old baby Jimmy on his shoulder. He had never hated to leave a place or anyone more than when he tore himself out of Steve’s embrace to go out to the waiting car.

Two hours later after escaping from the Business Trip of Doom, Tony was in his private jet taxiing on the runway. Pepper hung up the phone. “Hope you don’t mind too much, the pilot’s going to drop me off in LA.”

“Oh, okay,” Tony replied. Pepper had her own family to get back to. “By the way, I’m not doing that again.”

“It’s good for the company, Tony. I’m grateful,” Pepper replied warmly. “But I’m not crazy about the travel, either.”

Leaning back into his seat, he texted Steve to let him know he was on his way home. It was his first lengthy business trip since Steve and he got married a few years ago. For the first few days, the trip had been fine, he had Skyped Steve daily and checked in whenever he could. But something came up and the Avengers said they could handle it without Iron Man, so Steve ended up in the field for a couple of days. _Without Tony_. He was glued to the news feeds waiting desperately for the news. Finally Steve called to say he was okay. But Tony would sleep uneasily until he returned home to see for himself.

He twisted the wedding ring on his left hand. That’s how it had started between him and Steve, almost losing Steve to some death ray as Steve tried to hustle civilians out of the way. He had waited up all night next to Steve’s hospital bed until the big lug woke up to Tony’s grateful kisses. The next few years passed so quickly that Tony wasn’t actually sure how he ended up married with two kids. But he had never been happier in his life.

They landed in California and Tony waved goodbye to Pepper. She would come out to New York in a week or two. She hugged him warmly. “Say hello to Steve and the kids for me.”

On the flight to New York, Tony wondered what his family was up to. Maybe a trip to Central Park or a children’s museum. He smiled at the thought of Steve in a t-shirt and jeans, loaded down with all the kids’ equipment and the double-wide stroller heading out of the penthouse for the day. When Pepper had proposed the trip, Tony had briefly thought of bringing Steve along. But Steve reluctantly said no because he needed to remain in New York for Avengers’ business. He had not been apart from Steve this long since they brought Maria home.

He missed them all. He listened to a voicemail from home, with Steve prompting Maria to talk and Jimmy babbling in the background. Homesickness filled his soul. He wanted to snuggle down next to Steve on the couch to watch bad movies, he wanted to read books with bouncy, chubby-cheeked Maria, and hold sweet-natured little Jimmy with his blond, peach fuzz hair. He wanted to kiss his husband goodnight and good morning and feel Steve’s arms around him. He just wanted to be there with them. Not in a meeting or in a plane or anywhere he couldn’t see or hear or feel them.

Tony calculated he would be at Avengers Tower by 2 pm that afternoon, considering the car trip from Teterboro to the city. He received a couple of texts from Steve. Nothing earth-shattering, but his heart clenched a little seeing his family eating breakfast without him. Steve had even rigged up a photograph of Tony at the table.

The plane landed, the car left the airport. Tony had a few presents from his trip for Steve and the kids next to him on the seat. Nothing special, just some things to let them know he had not forgotten about them. As if he could. The driver smoothly navigated the crowded highways and streets. And with each familiar landmark Tony knew he getting closer to home. But time crawled agonizingly on.

Finally, finally, he was in the elevator heading to the penthouse suite of the Tower. He was tired to the bone from the trip in ways he never was from the Iron Man armor. Nothing that being settled in his own bed with his own husband couldn’t cure.

And in the living room, there was Steve clad in sweatpants and a t-shirt, sleeping peacefully on the couch with their baby son Jimmy equally knocked out on his chest. Drawings of Iron Man and Captain America and dozens of crayons covered the coffee table. Lego and foam darts were scattered around the shield propped against the couch. Amused, Tony figured there had to be a story behind that. He noticed his toddler daughter Maria was also asleep in an armchair. Now that was a rare sight, since Maria never willingly sat still and barely tolerated naps.

Tony walked quietly up to the couch. He reached out to touch Steve’s shoulder. “Hey, babe, I’m home.”

Steve stirred and woke. He carefully shifted to not wake the baby. Tony bent down to kiss him. 

“We missed you, Tony.”

The baby woke up and Steve handed him to Tony. Now awake also, Maria jumped off her chair. “Daddy!” she shouted and threw herself against Tony’s leg. Reaching down with his free hand to ruffle her dark, curly hair, Tony smiled. “Hi there, pumpkin. Daddy’s home.” 

He exchanged a smile with a beaming Steve.

No, he was never going to leave home on a business trip again if he could help it.


End file.
